Scott Porter

Last week, the excellent small-own drama, “Friday Night Lights,” capped off its five-season run with a poignant and uplifting series finale on DirecTV. As my wife and I bid a fond farewell to the residents of Dillon, Texas, I told her, “We haven’t seen the last of these people. Friday Night Lights will be the new Freaks and Geeks.”

I was referring to how “Freaks,” the short-lived teen series on NBC, proved to be a lanunching pad for an array of young actors who went on to have a significant impact on pop culture. Among them: Oscar nominee James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and Linda Cardellini. Likewise, I think the excellent young actors on “FNL” have an incredibly bright future ahead of them.

Just this week it was announced that Adrianne Palicki, who played Tyra in “FNL,” has been cast in the coveted role of Wonder Woman for a reboot of the famous 1970s series being produced by David E. Kelley. I love the choice. The statuesque Palicki proved she could be tough, yet tender and vulnerable, on “FNL.”

But she’s not the only one getting lots of attention. Minka Kelly, who last year was Esquire magazine’s “Sexiest Woman Alive,” has been cast in a “Charlie’s Angels” TV remake and can be seen regularly in the NBC drama, “Parenthood.” Also popping up on the small screen recently are Zach Gilford (“Off the Map”), Scott Porter (“The Good Wife”), Matt Lauria (“The Chicago Code”) and Michael B. Jordan (“Parenthood”). I also expect good things from Taylor Kitsch, who, as the troubled Tim Riggins, became the bad-boy hunk of “FNL” — just as Franco was the bad boy of “Freaks.”

Their future success, of course, will depend greatly on the script choices they make and the creative vision of the collaborators they align themselves with (already, there has been some negative internet buzz surrounding a leaked version of Kelley’s “Wonder Woman” script). This is where the “Freaks” youngsters excelled. Of course, it helped to have a rising force like Judd Apatow in their corner.

But after being captivated by the “FNL” cast these past few years and watching them grow up on our screen, I know they are capable of greatness. Keep an eye on these kids!